3 positive stats from NOLA Saints’ frustrating Week 13 loss to Cowboys
By Kristen Wong
There was a lot to hate about the New Orleans Saints-Dallas Cowboys Week 13 matchup last Thursday night.
As is the narrative in most their games, NOLA fell early and couldn’t climb their way out of the deficit.
Dallas’ questionable play-calling gave Taysom Hill a chance to get back in it at the end, but he (literally) threw the game away. Four picks. That’s all we have to say.
Sean Payton can blame the referees for that one controversial call — almost all would agree that was NOT an illegal blindside block and was probably the worst officiating call of the season so far.
But all would also agree that officiating was not the glaring issue here. This 2021 Saints team is.
NOLA was without star running back Alvin Kamara and two starting offensive tackles, but look at the Baltimore Ravens roster, which has suffered far more injuries this season, and notice how their team has a winning record and is on top of their division.
The comparison falls shorts when you size up the signal-callers for each team — for Baltimore, a mostly healthy Lamar Jackson, for New Orleans, Siemian and a poor man’s Lamar Jackson.
Sean Payton will be crucified on a hill, alright. Taysom Hill.
Pessimism aside, a handful of Saints players made big plays in Week 13 that, amid the dark murkiness of this 2021 season, deserve to be recognized.
Here are three positive stats from NOLA’s loss to Dallas.